During her teaching years at the Rennes School of Fine Arts between 1961 and 1979, Ange Degheest went back to her former interest in engraving. She became particularly fascinated with the work of Robert Cordier, a seventeenth century engraver who had a strong influence on her training years at SHOM. In addition to his work on maps, Cordier is known for having engraved the writing models of several calligraphy masters, including the Italian letters of Louis Barbedor. It is the latter that inspired Degheest to make her typeface Louise. For this new script face, she accentuated the monolinear aspect of the strokes and introduced a more mechanical structure to the letters, which evoked the appearance of neon signs. In 1972, Ange sent her drawings to Mecanorma, a French company that produced dry-transfer letters. Louise was eventually selected and distributed by Mecanorma, and featured in its Norma Type catalog. The name Louise is a direct reference to Barbedor’s first name, but also refers to the writer and activist Louise Michel whose writings were greatly admired by Ange Degheest.

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